Wandering through a Google collection of aviation news, Combat Aviation Brigade Welcomes a New Unit, New Aircraft, grabbed my attention. I’m a dedicated rotorhead, helicopters comprise the majority of the US Army’s fleet, and I was hoping to learn about some new helo.
Nope. In March, the Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division (aka The Big Red One, based at Fort Riley, Kansas) is getting the Gray Eagle, an “unmanned aerial system” that will be operated and maintained by Company F.
Unfamiliar with the full array of military drones, I assumed that the Gray Eagle was one of the smaller models, like the RQ-7 Shadow, which has a 14-foot wing span. Nope. The Gray Eagle is an upgraded MQ-1 Predator, built specifically for the Army’s recon and air support missions.
In short, when up to speed, the Gray Eagle will do everything the Air Force Predator now does and more, like integrating with Apache attack helos. What’s more, as far as I can tell, the Army drones will be flown by enlisted soldiers, not officers trained first in aircraft they get into.
Given the history of the US Air Force and its aviation battles with the US Army, the service that gave it life. I wonder if the Army drones will be the start of another interservice budget battle and turf war over who flies what aircraft.
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